


(wait time is 45 mins)

by mvrcredi



Category: Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Amusement Parks, Based on a Tumblr Post, First Meetings, M/M, Meet-Cute, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Slash, Protective Bucky Barnes, Tumblr Prompt, maybe? - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2020-10-17 13:29:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,056
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20621795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mvrcredi/pseuds/mvrcredi
Summary: Steve, curse his small stature, gets lost in the huge crowd that was headed his and Bucky's way from the ride's exit. Fortunately for him, he manages to grab Bucky's arm before he getsreallylost.Except, itisn'tBucky's arm, and now there's an attractive stranger staring at him.





	(wait time is 45 mins)

**Author's Note:**

> ( prompt: “i’m at this theme park with my sibling and as i started looking around we walked through a throng of people and i went to grab my sibling’s arm but i grabbed yours on accident” )

“Come _on, _Buck! Do you want to get on the ride today or are you waiting ’til Christmas?”

“Y’know, I really don’t see how this appeals to you. You _do _remember Coney Island, right?” Bucky raises a skeptical eyebrow as he sizes up the ‘coaster. Unfortunately for him, Steve has that pleading puppy dog expression on his face—everyone’s weakness, even if they don’t know it yet.

Steve groans. “Of course I remember Coney Island. You remind me all too often. Now let’s get in line before we have to go, alright?”

Bucky sighs, which Steve accepts as a “yes,” so they begin travelling toward the ride’s entrance.

While walking over, a large crowd seems to have just gotten off and, curse his small stature, Steve gets lost in the group, but not before he manages to grab Bucky’s arm to keep track of him. Except, it _isn’t _Bucky’s arm. Anyone should know in an instant the difference between a prosthetic and a real arm. Anyone should also know something is wrong when a complete stranger looks rightfully confused at the action.

It takes a second for Steve to register the blue eyes he’s staring into are not Bucky’s, but rather those of an attractive stranger. Steve lets go as fast as humanly possible upon his realization, his whole body going frigid with embarrassment. 

“I am so sorry,” Steve blurts, still glued to the spot, “I thought you were my friend.”

The stranger’s puzzlement morphs into the slightest smile. “It’s no problem. Just caught both of us off guard, huh?”

_Should Steve be engaging in this conversation? _“I guess,” Steve laughs awkwardly. “I—I really am sorry, though.”

“Like I said, it’s no worry,” the stranger shakes his head. “Hey, so… were you by chance heading to the Arc Reactor?”

“I—yeah, actually. I was. But then, well. You know,” Steve makes an aborted gesture then shrugs helplessly. _God _he was the most useless person in these situations.

The stranger chuckles. “Yes. Well, I just got off but would you mind if I joined you? I want to go again before it closes.”

Steve nods perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, but the man doesn’t seem to mind. “Yeah, no, for sure. I don’t care. That’s what my friend and I were trying to do anyways.”

The man blinks. “Oh! Right, your friend. I forgot. I don’t want to impose or anything—“

“No, no, it’s fine. He’ll be okay with it, I’m certain. Let’s go wait for him at the entrance, if he’s not there already.”

There’s a bit of unhelpful sidestepping—after all, Steve and this handsome stranger are still unacquainted—but they manage, and eventually get to the entrance, where Bucky was obviously scanning the crowd for Steve. Relief passes over his face when he spots him, but Bucky’s mouth sets into a slight scowl upon seeing the man Steve was walking over with. _Who was he and what business did he have walking side-by-side with Stevie?_

While Bucky knew Steve could very well take care of himself (after a few fights you pick up moves yourself), he was notoriously protective over the blond. Steve was still pretty fragile, emotionally and physically, no matter what he said.

Steve seems to mull over Bucky’s frown when they get closer, seeing as he’s smiling like nothing was off.

“There you are! This is, um—“

“Tony.”

“—Tony, and he asked if it was okay if he waited in line with us. Would that be cool with you?” Steve asks, seemingly innocent too, that smug bastard.

Bucky forces a smile. “Yeah, totally. C’mon.”

To say Bucky wasn’t even a bit disappointed Steve elected to ignore him, his friend of over two decades, for some stranger named “Tony” would be a complete and utter lie. He wasn’t jealous, per se, and he was glad Steve was putting himself out there, but come on! This was _their _little outing! And not only—Bucky ended up being booted to the row behind them on the roller coaster because apparently Steve and Tony were besties now.

Steve had a good laugh over Bucky’s grumpy expression in the photo afterwards, at least.

And thank god, thank _god _they were out of there before Steve got the chance to exchange numbers or something. Bucky wasn’t so sure about this “Tony” character still.

It’s on the drive home when Steve finally asks, “Is something wrong, Buck?”

To which Bucky pouts and responds, “No. Unless you count ditching your best friend for some guy.”

Steve scoffs and rolls his eyes. “What? I’m not allowed to make friends now?”

“That’s not what I said,” Bucky grumbles.

Steve laughs. “You’re unbelievable sometimes, y’know?”

He ends up teasing Bucky the whole way home.

-=-

Steve fully expected to never see Tony again, yet here he was, desperately wiping scalding coffee off his own shirt whilst a familiar voice both swore and apologized profusely.

_“Fuck, _I am so, _so_ sorry. I was just—I wasn’t paying attention, I was on my phone, and then I just—“ A pause. “Wait._ Steve?”_

Steve blinks a couple of times, the hot beverage forgotten for the moment. “Tony? What are you… what are you doing here?“

Tony grins. “I could ask you the same question.”

“I live here.”

“Huh. I knew your accent sounded familiar,” Tony winks. “I live in Manhattan.”

Steve huffs out a laugh. “You must have quite the paycheque, then.”

Tony shrugs, smiling. “It’s okay. Definitely good enough for me to buy you a new shirt, though. That coffee stain is rather noticeable, and will probably take a bit of effort to get out.”

It took Tony’s mention of the stain for Steve to remember the warmth seeping through his shirt. Steve blinks once, twice. “There’s no need. I just live around the corner. Kind of.”

“Oh.” Tony’s face pinches into an unreadable expression, but it’s gone almost as soon as it had made an appearance. “Well, um. Can I treat you to a coffee, then? Or whatever drink you might prefer?”

The corners of Steve’s mouth curl upwards. “Sure. But maybe when I’m not wearing a coffee-stained shirt. Say… Friday?”

“Friday works for me,” Tony breathes. He’s silent, for a moment. Steve can hear a note of hesitance when he finally says, “It’s a date.”

Steve smiles wide. “I guess it is.”

**Author's Note:**

> i have been so uninspired as of late but finally! finally i came across a prompt from this [prompt generator](https://colormayfade.tumblr.com/generator#_=_), so. here you go. hope you enjoyed!
> 
> comments and kudos (and requests!) are greatly appreciated!! <3


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